Chasing the Storm
by nnefertari
Summary: Thor's rule has been peaceful, but he is mindful of the duties Asgard has towards other realms and takes steps to ensure the safety of every child of Yggdrasil, even when he feels doubt about the changes he will have to endure. The young Jotun prince Loki meanwhile is pleased to be finally able to discover worlds beyond the walls of palace where he was born. Arranged marriage AU.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N_

_Thor/Loki story, arranged marriage AU in which Loki grows up on Jotunheim and many more changes to the universe are made (will be explained in fic)._

_Rated: M, almost no warnings. There is age difference, but no consent issues (as there is no smut yet)._

_I will be glad for any positive comments._

_Work in progress_

* * *

><p>The chambers of the king of Asgard were in an unusual disarray. The builders and mages, called to work hand in hand to give the new rooms shape and strength (for only the poorest shacks could be built without the use of mages' technology in Asgard) now gave way to carpenters and quilters who scrambled to furnish the many rooms with the best they had to offer.<p>

For the most part, the men and women charged with this task worked with confidence born from their experience. But there were questions they needed to ask. What colours to use? Should a nursery be built right away as well?

And the questions were answered on discreet slips of paper, brought to the foremen. Sometimes they were written in tiny, elegant cursive, sometimes in a slightly bigger, stiffer script. The king and his mother were both personally invested in the renovation.

The king's colours would remain red and grey. His betrothed's colour was green, but the queen suggested that it be used subtly and with a rainbow of blues and aquas accompanying it. The shared spaces should be golden and brown, neutral and soothing.

And there would be no nursery for the time being.

The king himself was in another part of the palace, in one of the many war chambers that were used for council meetings, private audiences of the royal family and generally any work concerning the kingdom. He regarded his private study as a place of solace, despite the work – and especially paperwork – he usually did there. Now it was nearly as messy as the chambers being prepared at the other side of the palace, but he wouldn't know that, since he hasn't entered those in several days. The large desk at which he was seated was covered in letters and documents and a few books were scattered across the surface as well. Those were mostly to assure Thor that by marrying a man, he would not be ridding himself of the possibility of having an heir. That there were safe ways. And he learned that there certainly were, rituals and spells crafted so that even lovers who could not produce a child as was typically done could reach the familial fulfilment if they so wished.

It should have been a relief, but Thor discovered the knowledge rather made him anxious. It was one less reason why not go through with this marriage.

But that was of course nonsense. He was the one who crafted the plan, who invited the peace-treating party from Jotunheim and who made hints that such a proposition would be welcome from the king of Jotunheim.

King of Jotunheim, a precarious title, one that many believed Laufey didn't have the right to use.

Thor got up; the room was hot and felt stuffy. A fire was burning high in the hearth, perhaps too high and Thor opened the balcony door and stepped out, greeted with a gust of cold air. Leaning against the railing, he let himself enjoy the sight of Asgard at night, the glowing lights of torches and lanterns tinting the world in orange hues, reflected in the snow that lay on almost every surface. His heart swelled with pride as he gazed at the prospering, golden city. For two hundred years he ruled this realm and strived to protect the others and, in words of one old soldier that Thor met in a tavern and who didn't recognize him, he didn't cock it up yet.

"You should get some rest. It's a big day tomorrow."

Thor turned to Frigga, smiling. He had heard her approach, but simply let the whispering of her skirts wash over him, another soothing agent in the moment of peace he was trying to grant himself.

"Mother," he inclined his head and then took her hands in his, kissing them lightly.

"Oh darling, you are worrying yourself, aren't you?"

They sat down on a bench that was sheltered from the weather at the far end of the balcony together, and Thor shrugged.

"I am... I worry for what this choice will bring. To Asgard, to Jotunheim... " he trailed off and took a deep breath before continuing. "And to me."

"And to your husband."

"Yes," Thor laughed, but it was not a happy sound. "To my young, young husband."

"Is that what weights on you?" Frigga sounded surprised and that in turn surprised Thor. Often he thought she knew what he felt or thought before he himself knew it.

"Among other things, of course."

"Is that why you said there was to be no nursery?"

"Yes. It could be centuries before we even consider a child."

"You seem to have many preconceptions about your husband even though you've never met him," Frigga noted and Thor knew that even though her words and her tone were soft, there was reprimand in them. "And you are making decisions that concern you both without giving him the chance to speak his mind."

Thor got up from the bench, returning to the railing and looking down. It was impolite to turn his back on his mother like that, but he found he was too tired to care.

"I know of his age. I know of his station. I'm sure he will appreciate this."

He could tell that she was unhappy with his response, but she pressed no further, sensing how on edge he was.

"I'm sure tomorrow will make things much clearer and hopefully happier as well. There is no more for you to do today, so forget your worries."

She parted with his with a kiss on the forehead, standing up on her toes while Thor bent down, a smile playing on his lips as a bit of the tension left him thanks to her gentle gesture. Then he did as she bid him and retired to his temporary chambers, willing the sleep to come.

* * *

><p>Loki had mastered slipping into the throne room unseen and unheard many years ago, but today he he was especially careful as it mattered to him more than usual to hear what was being said behind the closed doors. Nobody was present but his father and mother. Laufey abandoned sitting on the high throne in favour of slow pacing across the hall, while Farbauti sat still at the head of the long feasting table.<p>

"He's prepared?" Laufey asked abruptly, breaking the tense silence that Loki observed. A small jolt ran through him. Not that he had doubted they would, but they were talking about him.

"As he will ever be."

His mother's tone was sharp and unhappy.

He looked to her with a mixture of emotion swirling through him; love and admiration, yes, but he couldn't help feeling a stab of resentment. She was against his marriage to the king of Asgard. Loki could even understand why, but it still angered him. He gazed at her, sitting straight and tall, with long black hair that he inherited from her (and she in turn from her Vanir mother, who, Loki suspected, was the reason why Farbauti despised the idea of him leaving his birthplace for another realm) spilling across her back.

"He will be safer on Asgard that he could ever be here if things remained as they are. The Aesir's offer is our last and only option."

"Safer," Farbauti scoffed. "With the old king panting after him. Sending messengers enquiring after heirs eligible for marriage."

"King _Thor_," Laufey replied, putting force behind the words, "is not even two thousand years old."

Then Laufey let the strict tone slip and his voice came out as a darker rumble. Unlike Farbauti, he wanted Loki to marry the king, but he had his own reservations.

"And I don't doubt his reasons for this proposal had nothing to do with Loki and everything to do with Jotunheim. You know the nature of these Aesir. They think the universe belongs to them. Theirs to _protect. _A fancy word for control and own."

"If the Aesir hadn't protected Midgard, you would not be king now."

More sharps words were said, but Loki tuned the argument out, playing distractedly with the hem of his tunic, crouched as he was in his hiding place; he knew well the old wound that haunted his father. He was not of royal blood and he became king after the War with the Aesir when the old king and all his heirs fell, seizing the power to keep the weakened realm from falling apart fully. But this Loki knew already; his heart was beating fast for another reason – finally he heard more about his future husband. His mother called him old, but Loki knew this was not true. All the messengers travelling between he realms and bringing back and forth the letters and documents that were necessary spoke of the king favourably – even if that was not their intention. But Loki could read between the lines. They called him pale and yellow and Loki knew that they really spoke of gold and beauty of different kind that the kind that could be seen on Jotunheim. They called him stiff and formal and Loki knew it meant dignified and strong. So he had already learned things about his future husband's looks and the way he presented himself, but now he snatched a very interesting piece of information: the proposal had been Thor's idea.

Loki slipped away, using the raised voices of his parents as cover. In his rooms, he was once again faced with the reality of tomorrow – trunks and packages were neatly stacked by the entrance, ready to be taken away. His stomach trembled and mostly it was with impatience and excitement, but fear crept in as well. He told himself it was natural. Such a big change had to bring some trepidation, no matter how much he wished for it. He climbed to his large bed, using the stool that helped him reached the height as usual and then he kicked it away with sudden surge of resentment. No more of this. Never again.


	2. Chapter 2

Thor was known to take protocol a bit lightly from time to time, pleasing the people and angering the nobles. He liked to walk the streets of Asgard in simple clothing, talking to whoever wanted to speak to him, sitting in taverns, visiting farms and stables. He also trained with the soldiers and when he wrestled or sparred, he was not a king, he was simply another man with only his skill and strength to his name.

But this day and the couple next, he would not be lenient with himself nor any others. Welcoming a king on another kingdom's sovereign ground was tricky; many formalities had to be upheld to avoid offending the coming party. The visiting king could not be treated as someone at the other king's beck and call. Thor and a large party of nobles, council members and army officials (with Sif first and the Warriors Three behind her) waited at the Bifrost observatory and after formal welcomes and introductions, Thor and Laufey walked to the city and later the palace side by side to show their equality. Snowflakes were swirling through the air silently as it they were paying homage to the guests.

They did not speak much on the way and Thor appreciated having the time to digest the first meeting with his betrothed who was currently walking right behind him with his mother, Farbauti, who Thor knew to be half Jotun and half Vanir, though all she had to show for it was her long hair and soft, beautiful features of her face. Other than that, she was almost the same size as Laufey, towering at double Thor's height. Loki had the same black hair and very similar features, but he stood almost a whole head shorter than Thor. His limbs were proportioned though, slim and agile. Thor wasn't sure whether it was due to his age or if it was simply how he was, but it seemed to him the blue of Loki's skin was slightly darker than that of the other Jotuns, including his family.

The garb of the royal family of Jotunheim was mostly made from black leather that seemed very soft and luxurious; Thor had no idea from what animal the hide could be. They also wore something that might have been armour, but it might have been simply accessories, made from green stone, a jade perhaps. On Laufey, the majority could be found on his head, running from his forehead down to his neck in shapes that managed to be both harsh and elegant. His shoulders were covered in it, giving the appearance of horns or talons sprouting from his back. He wore trousers made from the leather that Thor noticed, but that was it. Farbauti was dressed more richly, wearing something that Thor might even call a dress with a corset, but the differences from Aesir's woman clothing were vast. The jade seemed to serve more as an accessory for her.

And then there was Loki. He wore leather trousers and a tunic as well, both pieces of clothing hugging his form tightly. The tunic had no sleeves and instead Loki's arms were covered with shapes made from the jade, Thor would call them vambraces, except they spanned across the whole length of Loki's arms, not just his forearms. A necklace of three thick gold chains hung from his neck and that was the only gold Thor saw on the royal family and all their companions. Loki's hair reached down to his shoulders and it was parted in the middle and held back by two braids that started at his temples and fell back behind his ears.

He was terribly lovely and terribly young.

He had seemed quite confident as he greeted Thor, speaking up with strong voice and that calmed Thor a little. With Laufey he had exchanged greetings that were, if not warm, at least earnest and he knew that the other king yearned for this alliance. Farbauti had been cold and he did not blame her. Of course she loved her son and didn't wish to be parted from him.

Frigga waited for them at the palace, welcoming the whole mixed party as the lady of the house. They all entered the throne room together, though Thor would not sit on Hlidskjalf until Laufey departed. Entering the throne room and being welcomed there was the final part of the formal ceremony and after that, the guests were offered refreshments and could shown their rooms if they wished before the feast would begin. Laufey nodded at the offer of rooms, but before leaving, he addressed Thor discreetly.

"The queen and I would like to speak with you first."

Thor inclined his head. "Of course. This way."

He led Laufey and Farbauti into a hall located behind the throne that was used for council meetings when the need for privacy arose and the matters could not be discussed in the throne room. The ceilings were high and the furniture steady, so Thor felt confident in bringing his guests there, but a sense of unease spread through him anyway. He wondered what they might have to say and why they rushed so.

Laufey did not keep in him suspense for too long.

"We have not met yet," he said bluntly, looking down at Thor with an openly searching gaze. "And I find that a diplomatic circus of the sorts that surely awaits us here is not a good place for honesty and straightforwardness."

Thor inclined his head lightly. "Let us speak freely now then."

"We have an agreement on paper. Your marriage to my son will ensure Asgard's support of my house. You will return the Casket to me. I would hear the oath from your lips and not from the pens of your advisers."

Thor considered Laufey for a moment, gazing up at the stern, scarred face. Then he looked over to Farbauti who stood with a cold expression, holding herself with her head high. A true queen, there was no doubt.

Laufey was a king – no matter how precarious his position was – so technically it could not be said he was impudent towards Thor, but his demands were certainly posed sharply. But underneath it, there was a sense of urgency and suspicion that Thor understood. There were many in Asgard who criticized his decision to marry a Jotun, especially when it almost meant returning a relic of great power to Asgard's old enemies. Those who doubted asked _why_. And Thor supposed that perhaps Laufey was asking the same question. The marriage did seem to favour Jotunheim more than Asgard – and that might have been even true, in the eyes of a politician.

Thor had watched the happenings on Jotunheim for decades, spending hours on Hlidskjalf. He observed first in silence, then he began seeking out Heimdall to get the gatekeeper's insight. And Heimdall knew – had seen – the lost glory of Jotunheim. And Heimdall could also see, truly see, Yggdrasil and he taught Thor everything about it. And slowly, as he watched the cold, dark realm fall into unrest, with groups of rogue warriors plundering villages while in the capital, nobles whispered treason to each other's ears, he felt less like a king of one realm, who should be pleased to see enemy kingdom weakened and more like a gardener or perhaps a care-taker whose duty it was to care for all the branches of the world tree and who could not stand idly by as one branch starved and rotted.

He did not attempt to explain this to anyone but Heimdall and Frigga. He was well aware that making such a big decision based on mysticism and not politics would provoke loud disagreement. Had his Father done it, it would not be so. But Thor's journey towards ruling as a true king and not just a warrior had been private.

"This is what was agreed on," he said calmly to Laufey. "I will marry Loki and return the Casket to your hands to seal our alliance. I would see the realms at peace, I swear this."

Laufey and Farbauti shared a look then and Thor thought he glimpsed a sparkle of triumph in Laufey's eyes when he looked at his wife. Thor didn't attempt to decipher what transpired between them, but then Farbauti spoke to him.

"I would hear some assurances from you as well, Thor of Asgard."

He did not ask her to clarify.

"Your son will be safe and well cared for, you have my word. I understand from earlier correspondence that he has inclinations to magic and studying. There are many scholars who will be able to offer him education."

Farbauti sighed and approached Thor, bending to look him carefully in the face. "That is pleasing. I know my son and I know he yearns for knowledge. But you speak with a tongue of a diplomat and here we have agreed to be blunt with each other. I speak of him sharing your bed."

"He is too young. I will not bed him," Thor replied calmly. He had no qualms giving this promise as that was something he had already decided for himself. There was no reason to deny a worried mother some peace.

"Yet. Not yet, you mean," Laufey corrected and Thor turned, almost surprised. Farbauti was stealing all of his attention.

"Yes. I would certainly hope to have an heir in a couple of centuries. The matters will be different then, I imagine."

He bore Farbauti's stare for a while longer as she likely tried to assess whether he was being truthful. Knowing his own heart and intentions and realizing that their were good also, Thor even began to feel a little amused. It's been quite a while since somebody interrogated him as such; mostly the situation reminded him of his mother and they way she sometimes... handled him. He showed none of this on his face though, certain that his mirth would not be understood or appreciated.

"We are settled then," Laufey prompted and Farbauti straightened up and nodded.

Thor led them out of the hall to rejoin the welcoming party and the rest of the group from Jotunheim, so they could, as was said, continue in the diplomatic circus. Loki was standing there, surrounded by several Jotuns who were guarding him closely. Next to Loki stood the queen with a slight smile playing on her lips; they seemed to be immersed in conversation, but as Thor, Laufey and Farbauti appeared, he trained his eyes on them, a slight frown on his face. It discomforted Thor when he realized he had been left standing there as his future was being discussed without his knowledge. Thor at least, despite also marrying for the state, was making decisions himself. And after seeing Loki in the flesh, so small and young, he felt a twinge of guilt about treating the boy as a pawn.

He resolved to make it up to him in every way possible.

* * *

><p>Various ways of entertainment were prepared for the guests. Thor in particular was looking forward to the tournament, which was chosen to be a part of the celebration as a display of individual strength, meant to amuse the viewers without being political – troop parades were also a traditional form of celebration in Asgard, but they were promptly scrapped for this occasion. And because of the more light-hearted nature of the event, Thor opted to participate himself. But first, there was another duty to perform.<p>

He stood with Loki at the edge of a large balcony that accompanied the feasting hall. Wine and various delicacies, such as sweets or foreign cheeses were being served in the late afternoon and people were milling around the terrace, drinks in hand.

Thor himself had a goblet of red wine, imported from Alfheim, in hand and he was fighting the urge to down it in one go. The festivities were wearing on him. Loki declined the wine, but Thor suspected it was less because he didn't want to drink it and more because of the stern look Farbauti gave him. Instead, he held a small plate with chocolates and he popped one into his mouth unceremoniously as he looked up to Thor and waited for him to speak.

It was the first time they were involved in a conversation without other people. They were not alone even now of course, but their words would be mostly private.

"I hope Asgard is pleasing to you," Thor said, cringing inwardly at the emptiness of his words.

"Yes, though I suppose more time is needed for one to really know a place," Loki replied, apparently unconcerned that Thor's first attempt at small talk was so wooden and Thor sighed inwardly in relief.

"Indeed. I will be happy to show you many more aspects of our lives here soon."

"It will be my life as well, so I suppose I will learn quickly."

Thor searched the city below them for some clue as to where continue with the conversation. He thought it best to look over the railing rather than stare at his husband-to-be. He discovered his gaze was drawn to him surprisingly often.

"Take these chocolates, for example," Loki continued, sparing Thor the need to figure out what to say. "I have not had them until yesterday. And now I'm positively _addicted_."

Thor looked back to Loki just in time to see him slide another sweet into his mouth. Then he licked his lips, staining them with the chocolate. Thor blinked. Loki looked at him expectantly.

_He did that on purpose._

Unexpected anger bloomed in Thor's chest; born out of stress and frustration perhaps, but it was there nonetheless. He was juggling a diplomatic event that Asgard hasn't seen in a millennium at least and that could not be compared to anything he ever presided during his reign, mistrusted by the Jotuns and questioned by the Aesir. He has made enough small talk to last for centuries and now there was this – this youngster, playing games with him.

Coolly, Thor lifted a napkin from the nearest table and handed it to Loki. Loki looked at the cloth for a moment and then snatched it from Thor's hands, wiping at his mouth with force.

_Brilliant_, Thor congratulated himself in silence, regretting the rude gesture already. First conversation with his betrothed and he was already on a downwards spiral.

All he could do was trudge on. "Tomorrow there is a tournament planned and I will be participating. It would be my honour if you'd grant me your favour to wear."

He was probably setting himself up for a rejection, but what was he supposed to do? He could not touch Loki's _lips _in public, for Norns' sake or even kiss him – whatever it was that he was being invited to do. And he had to ask for the favour. He had to wear it.

But it seemed he needn't have feared. Loki produced a bracelet made out of threads of gold interwoven with strips of leather, adorned with the same jade that the royal family of Jotunheim preferred.

"It's enchanted," Loki told him, his tone polite but cool. "It will fit the wrist of whoever wears it perfectly."

"Thank you." There was real gratitude behind Thor's words, though the exchange was clearly formal and the bracelet had been readied precisely for it.

In a strike of inspiration, he reached for Loki's hand and pressed a light kiss on top of it. He did not miss the way the boy's red eyes widened at that at first, but then he smiled, bowing his head in acceptance of the gesture.

As they rejoined the crowd, their time alone up, Thor felt just a slight sense of relief. It seemed he didn't ruin anything. And he had a tournament to look forward to.

* * *

><p>Asgard was warm and overwhelming. Loki loved it.<p>

Well, truthfully, he was nervous about the temperature. It was winter on Asgard – one of the four different seasons apparently and winter was the coldest of them. It snowed sometimes but the flakes seemed so unfamiliar against the gold and yellow hues of the city. But even so, he felt uncomfortable at times, as if he was wrapped in too many furs. They arrived to the Realm Eternal dressed as lightly (though still richly) as possible, but it was still a shock. He remained worried about what would happen to him when the warmer seasons came, but he asked no one, not wanting to seem ignorant in case the answer was simple.

There was a lot to see and a lot to do, but mostly Loki concerned himself with Thor.

He was very much unlike what Loki had imagined and the reality surpassed fantasy on most accounts. He had taken to watching Thor as often as possible, because such a visage still seemed improbable. The Aesir were all different from what he knew, yes, and of course he noticed that many men in the city also had long, light hair, or were tall or strong, but the king stood above them all. His hair was longer than Loki's – which he wasn't used to seeing, because only his mother had hair as well and she often worn it up in braids and knots – and it was not at all like his own, so unfamiliar that he couldn't help but be fascinated. It was light in colour and the tone seemed to vary depending on the light – torches and candles made it look darker than the pale light that shone on Asgard during the day. Loki was looking forward to seeing it also in the night, with only the starlight illuminating it.

Thor's face, while beautiful in a regal, royal sort of way, could be intimidating, Loki learned. But that did not happen often. Mostly, kindness was reflected in the steady features.

Loki spent his whole life in the presence of people who were taller than him – who outright dwarfed him. Thor's height was superior to his own too, as were many of the other Aesir's, but it was so much closer to Loki's that he barely thought about it with the resentment it usually filled him. Instead, he enjoyed the solid presence Thor held. He was not only tall, but broad as well and always dressed as to accentuate this fact; with a long, red cape that swept behind him (and Loki knew that it was the king's colour for centuries now, but sometimes he liked to imagine it was a homage to the colour of Loki's eyes) and clad in armour that glittered in light and reminded everyone of his strength. Loki saw Thor without it only once, during a private dinner with only Thor, the queen Frigga, Loki and his parents present. It was a slightly dull affair, livened only by the queen's storytelling and the way Thor looked, dressed in a light grey tunic and red vest.

Now Loki was seated in a private booth on a high tribune that overlooked a large courtyard that was turned into an arena. The tournament has begun.

At first, it was new and exciting just like everything else in Asgard was, but in itself not too interesting. Several dozens of men and some women filled the courtyard and fought each other; mostly in pairs, though Loki did notice some bigger skirmishes. Slowly, the defeated left, in one piece, but often limping or else hurt until only about a third of the starting amount remained. These winners then participated in other contests, fighting with staves or with their bare hands. At about noon, just as refreshments were served and dancers and jokers took the place of the fighters during the break, Loki grew restless.

He nibbled on a pear, having already sampled a rather delectable selection of cold meats, and shot a covert look towards his parents. They shared the booth with him, but they had nudged Loki to sit up front, so that he might see the happenings and be seen in turn, whilst they sat as far back as possible and paid no attention to the tournament whatsoever, talking instead in hushed voices.

Where was Thor? The king was supposed to participate in the contests. Winners, three of them, which Loki found odd, were already announced before lunch. What was to happen in the afternoon then?

At last the dancers and acrobats left and the field was tidied rapidly. A sudden shush fell over the tribunes and Loki felt a shiver of anticipation running through him. He could feel the excitement buzzing in the air. The Aesir, usually so loud and boisterous were still, their gazes firmly trained at the large gate that was used to let the contestants in.

Then a loud cheer erupted and the gate opened. For a second, Loki was disappointed. The imagine before him was very similar to the one from the morning; a horde of fighters entering the courtyard. But then he spotted Thor.

Loki could tell, even as a foreigner, that this was the main event based simply on the appearance of the contestants now and before – the fighters down there now were bigger, and if not bigger, they seemed more ruthless. There was a lesser number of women among them, but there still were some and Loki noticed particularly two – one dark haired and one blonde, both standing close to Thor, sharp smiles playing on their lips, swords tightly gripped.

But that was as long as Loki could pay attention to any other but Thor. Thor was... he was topless, dressed only in simple black pants and high leather boots. About the wrist was the bracelet that Loki had given him. Thor was not the only fighter who forwent clothing, but he was certainly the most impressive one. He had a large axe swung over his shoulder and even at the distance Loki could see the wolfish grin on his face.

Loki found his fists were balled and tremors were running through his entire body.

Thor was huge and powerful, his muscles bulging and glistening in the sunlight. He looked rogue and hard and _dangerous _and Loki felt at that very moment genuinely afraid. That was not the well-spoken king he had met down there.

Then the fighting started. Weapons rang almost deafeningly loud, the noise rising up to the tribunes, followed by war-cries and grunts of the fighters. The fights were quicker and harsher than before and Loki found himself holding his breath and leaning forward, his whole body tense.

A lot of the contestants were targeting Thor and often he fought three, even four at once, spinning the large axe in his hands. Loki quickly surmised that the rules were different too – it seemed that a contestant lost once they suffered a great bleeding wound or were knocked out. The weapons were sharp and Thor's axe frankly didn't look much less deadly in Thor's hand than the magical hammer Mjolnir might. Not that Loki ever saw Thor use it, but he had seen it in his hand or tied to his belt at several occasions and his eyes had been drawn to the powerful object. Loki's gaze was firmly trained at Thor throughout the whole competition and his heartbeat remained frantic. His initial fear abated, but he was left feeling somehow stunned, as though he was just taught an important lesson. Such feeling filled him also with embarrassment and he glanced back at his parents. They now were also watching the fight and Loki knew them well enough to read that Laufey was entertained, while Farbauti was simply frowning a bit.

Satisfied that they didn't notice his fluster, he looked back down.

The crowd of fighters was thinning considerably. There were blood splatters on the sand and the air surrounding both the arena and the tribunes was saturated with frenzy. Thor was still fighting, showing no signs of tiring, though several strands of his hair were plastered to his face, darkened with sweat

Loki watched him circle an opponent, a man that was shorter than Thor, but almost twice as wide, clad in leather armour and holding a large club. Thor was slightly crouched, holding the axe in front of him as he stepped as lightly as though he was dancing, almost imperceptibly inching closer with every step to the side he took. When Thor finally moved, Loki's eyes could barely follow the movement. He thrust the axe's handle upwards, hitting the man in the chest and sending him stumbling while Thor ducked and spun out of the way to avoid getting hit with the club. His opponent surged forward then, enraged by the blunt attack and Thor avoided him again, swinging the axe so that it skittered across the man's arm, cutting him deep just below the shoulder. Loki saw Thor grin as the man grunted, pressing the palm of his other hand to the wound and gave Thor a small nod before hurrying off the arena. Loki reached for a goblet of wine with an unsteady hand. His throat was very dry.

In the end, Thor was left with the two women that Loki had noticed at the start of the event and now that he had more reason to look closely at them, he recognized the dark-haired one as the Lady Sif whom he had met several times. The blonde's name still evaded him, which was odd since she was as formidable as her two opponents, almost as tall as Thor, with a long braid falling down her back and a large sword in her hands. The three of them wasted almost no time sizing each other up and threw themselves into the fight, laughter rising from their throats. At first Loki didn't comprehend what he was seeing, but then he heard Farbauti behind him chuckle and he understood; Sif and the other woman teamed up to take Thor down.

And that's precisely what they did, leaving Loki shocked as he watched Thor limp from the arena after receiving a nasty blow to the side of his knee with the butt of Lady Sif's spear and a shallow, but long cut across his bare chest from the tip of the blonde's sword. Loki sat on the edge of his seat without even knowing it, straining to see where Thor went.

"That's a regrettable weakness," Laufey said and Loki whipped around. "He should teach them to have more respect."

"How blind you are, dear husband," Farbauti smiled in a crooked way, her eyes never leaving the arena where the winner was being decided. Loki lost all interest in the fight now of course and simply sat, astonished.

He just learned more about Thor both as king and a man in the hour he watched him fight in the arena than he had learned in the two days he spent in his company at the court. Now if only he could figure out what to do with it.

* * *

><p>"Congratulations again," Thor smiled when the door of his study opened and Sif stepped in, scrubbed clean and dressed informally. He had already given her the official congratulations as he presided the closing ceremony of the tournament, tasked with giving out the prizes to the winners.<p>

"Thank you," Sif laughed. "While your commendation is important to me, I expect Brunnhilde's will warm me even more."

Thor could take a hint and a smiled fondly. "I will not keep you long. With the alliance sealed, some new rules and protocols will have to be followed and several of them concern the army. I have some documents for you to-"

"Thor," Sif interrupted him, approaching his desk and sitting on the edge of it, leaning to look at him carefully. "What are you doing? This is _paperwork_. You don't have to do this right now."

He didn't even attempt to argue, instead he just sat back and sighed.

"Don't mind what I said about Brunnhilde, if you need to talk-"

"No, you should go and be merry, you deserve it. I simply... tell me – how does he seem to you?"

Sif considered this for a moment. "It's very hard to tell."

Thor chuckled unhappily and Sif shot him and exasperated look, meaning he was to let her finish. "How can you truly see what's in a person in such a short amount of time and during such formal circumstances? I can easily tell you now that I feel he's a bit spoiled and a little cold, but how can that do him justice when he must uphold decorum and present himself as a prince worthy of this kingdom?"

Her words weren't some candied assurances, but rather rang true and wise and it calmed Thor.

"You used to be so carefree," Sif continued wistfully. "Now it seems that all you do is fret. Did the contest today not clear your mind?"

It did in fact – for several glorious hours, until he donned his ceremonial armour again and stepped out to the arena as a king to make another speech. He said as much and Sif shook her head ruefully, though a smile still played on her lips.

"Perhaps I should have let you win then."

"Oh no, Norns no," Thor laughed. "My knee still hurts; it's the highlight of my day."

"Listen," Sif continued when they were done snickering about the blow she had dealt him. "Be patient. You will come to know him and he will come to know you in time and I'm sure it will work out. Do not treat it as... diplomacy or politics. You are a good, passionate man. He will love you."

"Thank you, Sif. Your council is priceless as ever."

They shared a warm look and Thor reached across the desk to squeeze Sif's hand. He was truly immensely grateful for her words.

"And besides, I think the young blood will do you good," she winked. "You are growing old and stuffy. You need some excitement. And he's very handsome."

"That he is," Thor forced himself to laugh. Sif left soon after and Thor opted to not linger in his study any longer. He knew perfectly well that he has been using it as a hiding spot for the past several months.

The conversation with his best friend and closest advisor was indeed helpful, but it did not ease his mind fully. He still had to be mindful of his promises made to the Jotuns, both the realm and the royal family that he had chosen to support, he had to be mindful of Loki himself, especially since he felt they have not gotten off to the best start.

But despite this, his path seemed clearer now. He walked down the hall, leaving the council wing altogether until he came to a nearby balcony. Mjolnir's handle practically vibrated in his hand and he spun the hammer and then finally, launched himself into the night sky just as thunder rumbled and lighting flashed on the horizon.


	3. Chapter 3

The empty halls felt eerily quiet after the noise of the feasting hall. The city below was alive with rancorous celebration as well; lanterns and fireworks shone as brightly as though it was day and on every main street, a long feasting table overflowing with food and drink was placed. Every tavern was filled with people, its doors open wide to let them flow and dance in and out.

The people of Asgard knew how to celebrate and the delicacies and good mead and wine served freely at the king's order made it easy to simply be merry and forget any reservations about the king's spouse they might have had.

The main feast in palace had been just as happy and loud and Thor had found himself sitting back contently, watching his friends drink and feast in honour of his wedding, though he barely participated in the drinking or conversation, preferring to share a meal with his new husband, words exchanged between them as they looked down at the bustle together.

He and Loki left the celebration reasonably early and were now walking together in silence towards their chambers. The further they were from the feasting hall and from the front part of the palace that oversaw the city, the quieter it got and Thor grew more aware of the slight presence beside him. He hadn't been able to read his new husband's mood very well during the day, but he found himself remembering Sif's words. Everything was too formal. Loki was very focused on decorum.

Thor wondered what awaited him behind closed doors.

Arriving to their chambers, Thor opened the door for Loki and let him pass first with a slight inclination of his head, to which Loki responded with a warm smile that Thor found himself automatically returning and his stomach jolted after the exchange.

Yes. Yes, perhaps everything would be fine.

The entrance room was made into an audience salon, the least private and most formal part of the suite. It was large and square, with doors on each of the four wall. One was the entrance, the opposite one led to a more private living space, complete with several sofas and a dining table, while the doors at the sides led respectively to Thor and Loki's private studies and libraries.

Beyond the living and dining chamber was their bedroom and on each side of it a private bath, both of which also connected to the studies.

When Thor had been approving the layout, he had been grimly pleased to notice that both intimacy and complete privacy were possible.

"It's beautiful," Loki commented after examining the audience and living chambers and after peeking into his own private library.

"I'm glad you approve. If there is something not to your taste, it can be changed."

"No, no, this seems very... pleasing. But I believe there will be more time for me to explore later."

"Of course. We've had a long day, you must be tired."

Loki hummed non-committally and they continued towards the bedroom. Loki walked first, eager to see more of the rooms, and Thor regarded the figure in front of him with curiosity. For the wedding, Loki wore a green cape, similar in cut and material to Thor's red one, in addition to a seemly outfit of black leather, the peculiar jade that Laufey's house preferred and he had topped it off with several accessories made of gold. Thor himself went with a rather traditional formal armour, newly made and adorned with silver. His cape had a lining made of snow fox, silvery white and soft, to better suit the season, even if Thor particularly didn't need the added warmth.

The bedroom was rather large, but furnished richly to give it a more cosy feel. The most dominant feature was of course the huge bed, centred against the far wall. It was very low, covered in pillows and furs, with embroidered covers on top, while soft curtains hung from the posters. Loki surveyed the chamber shortly, walking about its circumference and then he slowly came to stand in front of Thor, smiling up at him. Thor returned both the gaze and smile, a certain sense of contentment filling him. He had been simply waiting for Loki to set the tone of the evening and he found it rather enjoyable to watch him explore, especially since he seemed to be at ease.

Then Loki reached up to Thor's collar and ran his fingers through the fur.

"This is fox, yes? They have almost died out on Jotunheim."

"They live in Asgard's mountains in a plenty number," Thor replied, almost automatically. Loki continued petting the fur collar, his fingers threading quite close to Thor's skin.

"I should like to see one in the wild, then."

"I'll be happy to take you."

"Good," Loki smiled and cupped Thor's jaw in his palm, stroking his beard just like he stroked the fur before.

Thor almost jumped at the contact, but then he subsided and regarded Loki with calmness that came swiftly and unexpectedly. The hand on his cheek was small and cool, pleasant. And somehow the feeling anchored him. They had been too formal indeed. They lives together were just starting, a shocking thought that perhaps he hadn't let enter his mind during the entire day. But as happy as he was with Loki's boldness, a suspicion was creeping up on him as well.

With purpose, he gently placed both hands at sides of Loki's face, tilting his head up slightly, letting himself openly gaze at the young face. He was indeed handsome, his features even and defined. His markings were subtle, accentuating his bone structure. Just as his hand had been, his cheeks were a little cool to the touch. Thor didn't miss the slight widening of Loki's eyes when he touched him. The light in the room was dim and it made the red in his eyes look very dark, almost black.

_Like a spooked deer._

Thor smiled and then pressed a light kiss to his husband's forehead before releasing him and stepping away. Loki's hand skittered down Thor's chest as his hold on Thor's cheek slipped and he pulled it back, as though burned.

With nothing more said, Thor turned the walk in closet at his half of the room, just next to the entrance to his bathroom and began undressing. The fur collar and his cape came first, both of which he hung carefully. His ceremonial armour had a special rack in the closet and this he put away tidily as well, but his tunic, boots and pants he dropped simply on the floor for the servants to take away for washing. Then he searched for simple, short linen trousers to sleep in.

The whole time he was aware that Loki didn't move and was watching him. It felt like like an itch at the top of his spine, not actually bad, but definitely impossible to ignore.

He came back to the bedroom, bare-chested and bare-feet. It finally jolted Loki to activity and turned away hurriedly, loosening his cape and letting it fall to the floor. Thor headed for the bed as he didn't plan on returning the attention that Loki gave him while disrobing.

"I saw you fight," Loki said suddenly, stopping Thor. Thor faced him, curious. He was still standing there in the middle of the room, cape pooled at his feet, one hand stopped still where he was unlacing his tunic.

"I should hope so, I was wearing your favour," Thor smiled, trying to respond in a light-hearted way. He could see that Loki was... disturbed perhaps. Or that something was weighting on him.

"You were..." Loki trailed off and closed in on Thor again, though now he did not come to stand close as he did before. "You were different."

A king's participation in the tournament was allowed and encouraged even and Thor had jumped at the opportunity to let loose even if only for a short time and he hadn't thought it would be much of a consequence. Now he looked at his husband, standing very still and out of reach, eyes fixed on Thor with intensity. He hadn't notice at first in the dimness, but Loki's chest was heaving hard.

Thor felt a pang of guilt. He had frightened the boy without meaning to. He thought that perhaps Farbauti had spoken to him, but the expectant air that Loki had about himself once they entered their chambers suggested otherwise.

"I..." Thor started, turning away from Loki to sit on the bed. "Well, in my youth, battling was the best past-time I could think of. Tournaments such as these are mere homage to that."

"Only the tournaments?" Loki prompted and Thor frowned, unsure.

"There were not many reasons to ride out to battle these past decades."

A tiny snort escaped Loki's mouth and finally he seemed to relax from the drawn up posture that Thor was learning was typical from him. Mimicking Thor's actions from before, he examined his own closet and undressed.

Thor tipped back to sprawl on the bed, his legs still hanging off the edge and looked to the ceiling for answers. He heard Loki approaching soon, soft patter of feet on the polished floor and it occurred to him that perhaps they were equally confused. That Loki was trying to do what he believed Thor expected of him, while Thor... well, didn't expect anything.

He remembered himself. It was his place to take the worry and uncertainty off his husband's shoulders.

So he pushed himself up on his elbows, intending to move to his side of the bed and searching for the right words to say, so that they might both rest.

Suffice to say that he was rather shocked when he saw Loki was naked, about to kneel on the bed. Thor watched mutely as he lowered himself onto the sheets and sighed, curling on the side and facing Thor, head propped up on his hand.

Thor cleared his throat and looked decidedly at Loki's face only. "Are you... were your nightclothes not unpacked?"

"It's too hot," Loki answered as though it was obvious, regarding Thor with a little smirk. His amusement faded soon though and he laid his head down on the pillow. Thor grew a bit unnerved as Loki kept watching him with the same wary intensity from before, not saying anything nor moving. Just the wide-eyed gaze glued to Thor.

"All right, well, let me wish you goodnight," Thor said finally and then tried to wiggle under the covers with some dignity left. It was bad enough he was sprawling on the bed like a starfish, gaping at his husband's naked body.

Silence was his only reply and Thor waved his hands, pinching off the remaining lights in the room.

Then a sharp intake of breath and the sound of an aborted attempt at speech came to his ears.

"What's that?" he whispered as softly as possible.

"Nothing. Nothing... goodnight."

Loki sounded very resolved when saying _nothing_ and so Thor accepted the reply and closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>Thor slept surprisingly well, not waking until the sun rose high enough to shine into his eyes. And even then he simply laid, welcoming the warmth on his face and the lazy softness of his – their – bed. There was no need to rush. Traditionally the newly weds were granted the whole morning and good portion of afternoon, being left alone and to themselves. Thor didn't exactly plan on doing that though; Laufey and Farbauti were leaving in the late afternoon and he believed that Loki would rather spend as much time with them as possible rather than dally about with Thor in empty chambers. There was no telling when Loki might see his parents again. Laufey at least would likely never come to Asgard again and even Farbauti's potential visit would have to wait. The house of Laufey would be busy without a doubt once they reclaimed the Casket and set to repair their realm.<p>

After several minutes of savouring the rest that seemed very rare now that it was granted to him, he opened his eyes and looked to his left. Next to him, Loki was asleep, curled on his side in the same manner that he had gone to sleep, except now he had one of the many furs the bed was stuffed with in his grasp and he was curled around it, hugging it tightly to his chest. His cheek was pressed to the soft material and the whiskers flattened and raised again softly with his breath. It was very endearing, though Thor felt a peculiar tug in his stomach as he watched him; he did not care to examine that feeling. But as he had no wish to wake Loki up, he had little choice but to lie still and he could not help watching the sleeping boy. His face was perfectly slack and Thor now saw how much tension he had been carrying in him during the short days they've known each other. Today would probably not be any better, but in the days after that... there would be no duties and no formalities to fulfil, Loki would be able to learn of his new home and position at his own pace. Thor would see to it that he would have as much time and privacy and help as he needed. His thoughts revolved around this for quite a while; just as he was thinking of which mages to ask to tutor Loki, Loki stirred, letting go of the fur and rolling onto his back, stretching his arms above his head with a little sigh.

Thor did not want to be caught ogling, but could hardly pretend to sleep and it seemed rude to simply up and go. He opted for honesty in the end, staying on his side as he had been, waiting for Loki to meet his gaze.

"Good morning," he smiled at Loki as he finally opened his eyes and after a while of looking up to the ceiling he turned to Thor.

"Good morning," Loki replied in fashion, but his face was curiously blank. An enquiry about the quality of Loki's sleep was almost on the tip of Thor's tongue, but he did not have a chance to ask it. Loki leaned forward and pressed his mouth to Thor's. It was brief but not entirely innocent; Loki's mouth was plump and wet from sleep and Thor caught a taste of him – entirely shocking and unasked for, but hardly unpleasant. Loki laid back again with an triumphant smirk playing on his face.

"Slept well?" Thor finally asked, though his tone was rougher than he anticipated, sarcastic almost as a result of his surprise, and the smile was wiped from Loki's lips. He cleared his throat, intending to repeat the question on a more polite manner, but he didn't get the chance.

"Yes. I suppose _you _didn't though," Loki spat and before Thor could realize what was happening, he bolted from the bed and headed to his bathroom at a brisk pace, slamming the door behind him.

Thor thunk his head against the headboard. Repeatedly.

During the awkward affair that was their first private breakfast, Thor had to acquiescence to the idea that Loki's odd behaviour was due to the fact that he _wanted _to bed Thor, rather than being afraid of it. Though no, that might not have been entirely accurate. He was afraid, Thor was sure he hadn't been wrong about that, but he was simply determined as well. For what reason though, that Thor couldn't fathom. It changed very little either way, except that he now understood better and could placate Loki, or so he hoped.

Thor was eating fresh bread with cheese, breaking the pastry with his hands and popping the pieces into his mouth along with hunks of the soft white cheese. Loki went straight for the cakes and biscuits, sampling them all with stubborn dedication.

"I did not mean to upset you, I'm sorry," Thor said. And he meant it of course, but the words sounded so toothless to him. He was apologizing for something he would not – could not – change.

"I am not upset," Loki replied and Thor was almost relieved until he caught the subtle sarcastic curve of Loki's words. "It's like home, no? You people call Jotunheim cold and unwelcoming, I can see why you'd try to make our bedroom the same for me."

It was not a time for humour – Thor desperately wanted to make things right with his husband, to start them off to good, happy future and so far, they were not precisely succeeding, but even with that in mind, it was all Thor could do to keep his face straight. He was certain Loki had been practising that retort all morning, which he had spent a good portion of locked in the bathroom.

So he simply stared for a moment, the corner of his mouth twitching. Loki ignored him loftily, eating more of the sweets. Sulking was not all he had done in front of the mirror it seemed; his hair was loose but graced with many small braids, especially on the underside of his head, giving him a rather elegant appearance. Thor had simply pulled his own hair into a loose ponytail, planning to only give it a better treatment before the afternoon ceremony.

"I'm sure Jotunheim cannot be unwelcoming when it births such passionate people," Thor finally told Loki, his mouth cracking into smile and he offered Loki a crooked grin.

It was a good choice of words. Loki seemed to perk up at being dubbed passionate and he returned Thor's smirk, flashing teeth in a manner that suggested perhaps he had tried to fight his smile off and failed. Thanks to that, they were able to finish their breakfast in silence that was relaxed at last.

"Would you like to go see your parents now?" Thor asked when their plates were cleared and two servants slipped in to take everything away.

"Yes- Yes, I suppose," Loki murmured and then frowned. "Of course."

They set off together shortly, hoping to find Laufey and Farbauti in the feasting hall where breakfast was being served as well. Not many people were in the palace, which was unusual and Thor explained.

"It is usually more lively around here, but I'm afraid last night's celebration has left many still in their beds, nursing headaches."

Loki laughed then, a startling, musical sound. Thor tried to think whether he had heard Loki laugh before and had to concede that probably not. He was glad to hear it now.

They found Loki's parents already finished with their meal and standing at the balcony, looking down to the city and sharing a quiet conversation. When they heard Thor and Loki approach, both turned with expectant expressions. Thor smiled politely and exchanged wishes of good morning, though mostly with Laufey as Farbauti paid him very little attention – apart from a sharp, searching look – and turned to talk to her son.

As if on cue, Sif and Brunnhilde appeared in the feasting hall and Thor glimpsed them through the open doors.

"I'm sure you'd like some time alone with your son," Thor told to Laufey. "I should leave you to it and then we can meet before you receive the casket."

Unsurprisingly, this was met with no disagreement and Thor walked away, joining Sif and Brunnhilde. Last glimpse at his husband's family showed Farbauti crouched to look Loki in the eyes more easily and Loki with his hands folded over his chest, petulant expression on his face.

Well. They did need the privacy.

"Thor," Brunnhilde greeted him, clasping his shoulder. "You look well rested."

She said it with a perfectly straight expression, but he didn't need to see Sif snicker into her tea to know that he would a butt of their jokes this morning.

"I am," he faked an exasperated reply and they all laughed. Then Thor went on, unable to resist the temptation to get back at them. "You ladies do not, though. Sif, I think there is a feather in your hair. Whatever did the pillows do to you?"

Sif and Brunnhilde both groaned at his overzealous and very obviously well-meant attempt to embarrass them and he received a hefty punch to his arm for it. Once they settled though, Sif looked at him, her eyes searching. Thor was very well versed with this expression and he could not help lowering his gaze.

"How did it go though?" Sif asked softly. Brunnhilde watched them quietly; she was a good friend to him too and as a captain of the palace guard, he trusted her immensely, but still their friendship wasn't as intimate as his and Sif's was. It did not matter – he had little to say and nothing he had to hide... or so he hoped.

"I believe Loki and I have reached an understanding," he smiled. Have they though? The words slipped from his lips, bringing gentle smiles to Sif's and Brunnhilde's faces, but he was left feeling a little unsettled. He _did _understand Loki's recent behaviour finally, but could the same be said for his husband?

* * *

><p>Returning the Casket to Laufey was a last step in the peace-treating between the two realms. The ceremony was solemn, much more so than even the wedding. Loki was seated at second throne which had been placed next to the Hlidskjalf while Laufey, Farbauti and the entire party from Jotunheim stood before him. Thor exchanged several quiet words with the king of Jotunheim and then walked off alone to personally fetch the Casket and give it straight to Laufey's hands.<p>

A collective sigh escaped the lips of all the present Jotuns when Laufey's hands wrapped around the handles of the Casket and Thor let it go. It was a stunning sight; a moment filled with peculiar tension and seeing the dazed faces of several of the Jotuns, Thor felt that it was involuntary and likely caused by seidr. The Casket truly was Jotunheim's lifeline and they all felt its loss acutely. And now Laufey would return triumphant, silencing the dissent with the tool of healing and prosperity in his hands.

Thor did not inherit Sight from his mother nor father, but at that moment a dizzying feeling clouded his vision, just for split second and an image of Yggdrasil flashed before his mind's eye, strong and beautiful and forever.

But the moment of elation was short and soon Thor felt a presence joining him by his side; Loki had come down to give final, this time formal, farewells to his parents. They all walked the distance to the Bifrost observatory and Thor looked in wonder around the city. It was snowing heavily, much more than was usual in the city itself, though it would not be an uncommon phenomenon in the nearby mountains. Thor thought it beautiful; the nature reacting to the reconciliation of seidr that belonged, but he did notice the whispers and frowns at faces of his people.

They needn't have worried. Once the Bifrost roared to life and Laufey, Farbauti and the rest vanished, the wind quieted and the snowing all but stopped. The party of Aesir that was part of the procession dissolved from their formation and respectful silence and started mingling, returning to the city in small groups and excited talk could be heard all around. Thor was not in any hurry and he simply stood, watching the edge of space, trying to centre himself after feeling such strong powers change around him.

Then a cool hand touched his wrist.

"Can we go?" Loki asked, terse and looking over Thor's shoulder rather than at him.

Thor nodded and offered Loki his arm, though soon it was Loki leading Thor rather than the other way around – he _was_ in a hurry. Thor obliged, lengthening his steps and soon they were coming to their chambers. He had thought perhaps Loki would appreciate a small tour through some parts of the city as they walked, to finally learn more about the places he had seen repeatedly during the journey from and to Bifrost, but his attempts were shot down immediately.

Once they were alone, Loki let go of Thor's arm and walked off some distance, standing by the window to watch the, now very few, snowflakes fall.

"If you want to be alone, you need only ask," Thor told him. Loki was quiet for a while and Thor almost took it as an agreement and was about to turn and leave.

"No. No, I don't think I wish to be alone."

It was an evening of the likes that Thor wasn't used to. Loki was not interested in conversation, only quiet company and so they stayed together in the living chamber, which was a very pleasant room with multitude of comfortable sofas and chairs. A fire was burning in the hearth, as was typical for the season and oddly Loki even declined Thor's offer to put the fire out or perhaps at least open the balcony door to let cold air in. Thor seated himself on a sofa close to the fire and opened a book of stories, which was a type of past-time that he hadn't indulged in since he became king. His reading material usually consisted of documents of state and when he wishes to unwind, he did so in the company of his friends, often in a tavern. Simply reading for the pleasure of it felt almost as foreign as the man in his company.

Loki was roaming through the room, examining the bookshelves, watching the fire with slight suspicion and sticking a poker into it to see the burning logs topple. He changed into black linen pants and black cotton tunic, a comfortable, loose outfit that was unlike anything Thor had seen Loki in before. To Thor, it was just another reminder that this was it; their life together has begun.

There was no doubt in Thor's mind about what had Loki so upset and quiet – he had just said goodbye to his parents for a very long time. He thought there was not much he could actually do, but after two hours of silence, he decided to try at least. One thing he had already learned well about Loki was that he was changeable. His need for quiet might very well be spent and Thor would hate to seem unapproachable.

"Would you like to join me?" he asked, gesturing towards his book and Loki raised his head, expression slightly bereft. He then shrugged and started towards Thor, sitting down next to him. Thor was about to offer that he might read out loud, but the book was pried from his fingers and set on the floor carefully.

And Thor was wrong – Loki appeared perfectly determined to not say a single word.

He slid across the sofa until he was pressed to Thor and leaned against his side, wiggling until Thor wrapped his arm around Loki's shoulders, which he did in silent surprise, just in time to see Loki's eyelashes flutter; he closed his eyes and let out a huff, resting his head against Thor and then he stilled.

Thor smiled to himself then, a warm feeling filling his chest. It was pleasant to sit like that, to be sought after for comfort. It was understandable that his young husband wasn't interested in sharing what he was going through using words – what could he say? _Your realm is strange and new and I'm forced to live here?_ No. No, Thor already knew Loki well enough to understand he would not say this. But the act of trust, seeking physical safety in Thor's arms, that filled him with such pride. He had told himself before that he had great responsibility for the young man next to him and it seemed like Loki would meet him halfway. It was a good feeling indeed. Still smiling, Thor closed his eyes and pressed Loki to him a little tighter.


	4. Chapter 4

He didn't mean to fall asleep, obviously. But the day had been taxing and he had barely slept at all the previous night. It had been his fourth day on Asgard, but somehow the warm climate got to him during that particular night, more than any other before. He thought he would be used to it by then, but the opposite was true and he wondered if it also had anything to do with Thor and the closeness of their bodies. And how could it not? He had been warm and he _right there_, just close enough to touch. And Loki had done just that when he woke. The sight of him in the morning sun, watching Loki openly with soft eyes... Loki could not resist the draw. The bigger the disappointment then when Thor had barely responded and then all but growled at Loki, pushing him away.

But as much as his pride struggled, he could not – did not want to – hold grudges. And there was something about the way Thor apologized... he was so earnest and serious every time he did. It made him even more handsome than usual.

He had bristled when his mother began interrogating him that morning, almost shooing Thor away.

_No, mother, he didn't touch me, but oh I wish he had._

Well, he had not told her that precisely, but he had been so enraged by her relieved expression and the look of smug approval she shot towards Thor as he talked to other people that it very much ruined any mood he was in for farewells.

He had regretted it slightly then, when the roaring, flashing Bifrost took his parents away, probably for good. He had been left alone and feeling very disconnected, not just from everybody else as he found himself alone in a land of strangers, but from his own thoughts and wants as well. And yet he had come forward when Thor beckoned him, feeling so spent and listless and it was so good, to rest against the warm, strong frame.

He woke to a feeling of weightlessness and it was only barely that he managed to stay motionless and with his eyes closed, his body catching up to what was happening sooner than his sleeping mind did. Thor was carrying him; one strong arm was hooked under his knees, the other supported his back gently. Loki let his head loll against Thor's chest, feigning sleep so that Thor would not have an excuse to put him down. In truth he became wide awake rapidly, his heart beating in excitement.

As they passed from the living chamber into the bedroom, Thor fumbled with the door handle so much that Loki feared it might not be feasible for him to pretend to be asleep anymore with all the jostling, but Thor voiced no suspicion and soon Loki felt himself being lowered onto the bed.

He wanted to do something, take advantage of the situation, perhaps pretend to wake and pull Thor down on top of him – if he could manage that, which was not at all certain – but he didn't get a chance to do it. Thor laid him down gently and Loki's head sank onto the pillow. Then a soft brush of fingers pushed stray hair from his forehead, not just once, but several times and it was clearly a caress, a touch like -

Loki was paralysed by the pleasure of it and so surprised he did nothing, lying still and drinking in the feel of Thor's fingertips on his skin. His mouth dry and he wished for more, but just as so many times before, he was disappointed. Thor withdrew his hand and moved away, quietly making his way through the room. Loki tried to follow his movements based on the sounds he was making, but Thor seemed to be exceptionally capable of moving quietly and soon he disappeared into the bathing chamber, leaving Loki alone and very frustrated.

Almost angrily, Loki took off his clothes and chucked them to the floor. Then, shooting a defiant look towards the closed door, from where he could just about hear the splash and sizzle of running water if he really strained his ears, he reached down for his cock. He was half hard already from Thor carrying him and touching him, but feeling his own fingers, so familiar, and boring, only served to remind him how spare those touches were and he tugged at his flesh angrily. Nevertheless, the need was there and he trained his thoughts at Thor, the way he smelled, his strong arms, plump lips smiling at him, rough, long fingers on Loki's skin and -

Carelessly, he wiped his hand on a sheet and rolled over, knowing that he would not win the battle against sleep.

* * *

><p>Thor spent the day with a peculiar sense of unrest... unrest and frustration. A routine Council meeting awaited him that morning and stretched regrettably on for many hours. It seemed as though during the couple of days of hosting the Jotnar and celebrating Thor's wedding impossible number of issues was raised. Each council member had a report about his assigned field and each seemed more eager than the previous one to stress the importance of what they had to say above all else.<p>

Thor had learned quite a while ago not to underestimate even the smallest of problems if it concerned his people, but listening for over an hour to the listing of complaints based on the unexpected snow storm that accompanied the departure of the Jotun party – especially since he knew very well that it caused no harm to the fields and therefore the crops and other plants – did nothing for his mood. Finally his patience snapped as word was given to Holmr, who coughed dryly and began droning about a minor change in trade law concerning cattle.

"Holmr, thank you, but perhaps such matters could wait for another day, once the more urgent problems have been dealt with," he snapped, anger coiling in him and making him ignore the councilman's offended expression. He did not care. Old, ignorant man, he could see how much work was to be done and he stalled with the nonsense...

Thor stopped the train of thought forcefully, balling his fists under the table where no one could see. Many eyes were on him, but even more were boring silently into the long table; some did not dare meet his gaze.

He continued in a calmer, but still stern tone. "We have established that the understandable disruption of the past days has caused problems. I should like to think that each of you is capable of gauging what takes priority. Am I wrong?"

A murmur of 'no' and heads shaken ran about the table.

"Good. Tomorrow, I expect your reports to short and precise. If you bring a problem to me, bring a solution along with it. Dismissed. I will listen to Fandral's report alone."

Still trying to calm the pounding of his blood, Thor watched in satisfaction as the councilmen hurried away. Meanwhile, Fandral wandered over and took the now vacant place on Thor's right.

"Well, you are in a mood," Fandral said flippantly and Thor smiled.

"Indeed."

"I understand. You should be away on honey moon with your new husband and instead you have to listen to suggestions of how cows are to be bought and sold, as though you don't know everything about it!"

Under Thor's disbelieving gaze that quickly grew stormy, Fandral realized how his words might have been misconstrued.

"Thor, my apologies, that's not what I-"

"Your report and then out. Quickly."

He was sure later he would be sorry for treating his friend in such a way, but that remark cut too deep for him to care at that moment, even though he understood that Fandral only had an innocent jest in mind.

Shaking his head, Fandral spoke of the mood and rumours in the city. Back when he took the throne, Thor had chaffed at the idea of this institution; he had not liked the idea of spying on his people, but the years had shown it was necessary for safety of the many. Besides, no persecution was ever based on Fandral's findings, simply caution and other steps were taken and only then the potential culprit stood trial.

As expected, there were some whisperings against the marriage. The people knew next to nothing of the Casket of ancient winters and yet they seemed largely unhappy that it was no longer in 'their' possession.

"Any danger to Loki?"

"No, no, it doesn't seem that way at all. If it did, I would have come immediately."

"Good. Now leave me."

For a second he was sure that Fandral would argue, but then his friend simply got up with a sigh and gave Thor a small pat on the shoulder before he went.

Thor rested his elbows on the table and put his head to his hands. That was indeed a very bad day. In the silence, his mind returned to the source of his frustration which was there much earlier than the council meeting.

Last night he had brought Loki to bed after he had fallen asleep on the sofa, head pillowed on Thor's shoulder. He had thought it would be rude and careless to leave him lying there, so he had picked him up and carried him away, content that he seemed to be deeply asleep. But then he had gone to bathe and when he returned, he saw Loki devoid of all the clothes he was wearing before. That in itself hadn't seemed bad, he had guessed that maybe Loki grew too hot, as he had already told Thor once was happening to him on Asgard and had kicked off his clothing before going back to sleep.

Except that when Thor had laid down, spying another curious look at his husband, he realized there was... well, drying semen on the covers. And perhaps at that point he should have stopped looking immediately and turned away, but he hadn't and instead he saw more of the glinting, white substance on Loki's right palm and understandably, on his penis.

Thor did not begrudge him the pleasure, of course not. He was free to do with himself as he wished, but the spread of his naked limbs on the covers, the evidence of what he had done when he should have been asleep... When he must have known Thor was nearby and could join him any second.

Careless, silly boy, that's what Loki was, Thor thought to himself in the empty Council chamber. _Tricky._

He allowed himself a couple more minutes of solitude to calm himself fully. He had done enough damage with his anger today. Then he headed towards his chambers.

He was slightly surprised to find them empty. He knocked on the door leading to Loki's study and received no reply, which made him a bit apprehensive. That morning, he had left quickly with barely anything spoken between him and his husband and right now it was becoming rather clear to him that Loki had no discernible duties or plans ahead him and that Thor should have taken the time to talk to him about his options.

However, it was too late for that now and he walked back out, finding a guard and asking after Loki, trying very hard to sound nonchalant. Thankfully, his worries were needless. The guard informed him that the queen had come along earlier and the prince had left with her. Relieved, Thor walked the short distance towards his mother's chambers and as soon as he passed through her sitting room, he spotted Frigga and Loki walking through the gardens that were connected to his mother's rooms and for which she cared greatly.

They were beautiful even now in winter as the trees were tall and shapely and there were many rowan bushes scattered around the pebbled pathways and they provided a dash of colour in the otherwise subdued tones of the garden as they were still covered in red berries.

As Thor watched, Frigga leaned closer to Loki and told him something with a smile on her lips and a conspiring air about her; in response, Loki laughed loudly, throwing his head back in unguarded mirth. They both had yet to notice him and he slowed his steps, gazing at the scene. It was the first time that day that he felt true peace.

The pair he was watching stopped and Frigga turned to face Loki, taking his hands in hers and kept speaking until she noticed Thor over Loki's shoulder and nodded towards him. Loki turned around with a surprised looked on his face and for a moment a feeling of nervousness ran through Thor. Was he about to ruin the moment?

Loki's face lit up with a smile instead and he gently pulled his hands from Frigga's and waved to Thor. It was such a spontaneous, young gesture that it almost made Thor laugh.

Finally he made his way towards them. The garden was indeed tranquil and pleasant, though now that he was standing in the chill, he noticed that his mother was bundled in a long coat and many scarves, while Loki seemed perfectly comfortable in sleeveless tunic and loose trousers.

"Mother," Thor greeted. "Loki."

"Hello, my dear," Frigga welcomed him with a kiss on the cheek and Loki nimbly slipped to Thor's side, taking his arm in his own. "How was you day?"

"Not very good, I'm afraid," Thor admitted. Now that his mind was at least partially soothed, he was realizing just how harshly he had been acting towards the council. "But it's much better now that I am in such company."

Frigga just smiled, used to such little comments from Thor, but Loki seemed to be rather fascinated and he laughed shortly, looking up at Thor almost as though he was expecting something.

Thor grew distracted momentarily by the way Loki pressed himself to him, having firmly hooked his harm under Thor's. And now they were sharing a look between them, waiting for the other to speak until it grew decidedly awkward. If Frigga weren't a queen and therefore above such indignities, Thor would say that the sound she made a couple of second into the embarrassing interlude was a snicker.

Loki cleared his throat and stepped perhaps half a step away from Thor, though their arms remained linked.

"So, what was it that caused your day to be so disagreeable?"

_The sight of you, naked, with the evidence of your pleasure all over your body._

The thought came unbidden and actually made Thor blush. He was filled with disbelief when he felt his cheeks heat up, as though he was a mere schoolboy.

"Council matters," he replied and hoped that his pause went unnoticed, especially since he knew his mother's sharp eye was on him.

"Ah. Something serious?" Loki continued to inquire.

"No, nothing worrisome. It is simply that celebrations, no matter for how joyous occasion they are, can draw attention away from state matters. So there was need for the Council and I to catch up on rather great deal of things."

Loki nodded, rather vigorously in Thor's opinion, and then a smirk appeared on his face. "Well perhaps next time lock your councilmen away from the celebrations and you might avoid it."

Thor laughed, as did Frigga, even if Thor couldn't help thinking it was a rather odd joke. He forgot the thought almost immediately though and with a gesture of his hand, he invited Loki and Frigga to continue walking, while offering Frigga his free arm, which she took with a smile and they all strolled together like that. It was pleasing and relaxing indeed and he opted to listen to the conversation Loki and his mother were having rather than participating himself. It was hard to believe that the two of them barely knew each other, so at ease they were. With his mother it did not surprise him of course, but it was novel to see this side of Loki and he was very grateful for that. He had a quick mind and a rather sharp tongue too, even going as far as responding with quips when Frigga teased him good-naturedly. Thor laughed in that hour they spent in the garden together more than he had laughed in weeks.

They parted with a promise to dine with the queen soon and with a standing invitation for visiting any time he wanted extended to Loki.

"The queen was very kind," Loki noted as they entered their chambers together after leaving Frigga's garden. A meal was already being served on the long table and Thor's mouth watered at the smell, which led him to realize he had skipped lunch.

"My mother is an extraordinary woman. I'm glad you enjoy spending time together," Thor told him and sat down, nodding at the servant so that a bowl of soup would be served to him. "I'm sure she'd also be pleased to give you some lessons."

As soon as the servants finished serving the soup, Thor dismissed them. The next course was meat and vegetables and it was easy to serve those without their help.

"Lessons?" Loki asked when the doors closed and Thor looked up, paying attention for the first time since they sat down to eat.

"Yes. Her skill with seidr is formidable and besides, she has great knowledge about just about any field I can think of... literature, history, music..."

Thor trailed off as Loki continued to stare at him with an expression that Thor couldn't quite decipher, but it was a decidedly unhappy one.

"Of course if you'd prefer to keep your relations with her strictly personal, other tutors can pick up those topics with you."

Even as he was finishing the sentence, he knew perfectly well that he was not responding to Loki's question nor that he was pleasing him what he was saying. Loki's face fell completely blank and he looked straight at Thor across the table.

"So you mean to _school_ me."

He said it with such derision that Thor was taken aback.

"Education is not the same thing as schooling, as you put it," he replied coolly.

"Oh, so you feel I am not educated enough?" Loki's tone was growing more and more nasty and his features were skewed in anger.

"Loki," Thor said slowly, barely holding on to his calm. "I do not know why this angers you. Your mother and I-"

"Yes, of course, my _mother-_"

"Loki!" Thor shouted, slamming his fist on the table so hard that the dishes cluttered about and one even fell off, having been placed too close to the edge. Loki was startled into silence and stared at Thor with his mouth open. Thor closed his eyes for a moment, overwhelmed. He could feel the blood pounding in his temples, a clear sign that he was losing control. That must not be.

"Loki, do not interrupt me," he went on calmly, though his tone was still firm. "Your mother and I talked about your interest in magic and in knowledge in general. She explained that there were many things they were not able to give you due to the political affairs of Jotunheim and she beseeched me to offer you tutoring in all the fields you find interest in."

It was almost painful, forcing those well crafted words past his lips, but sadly, he was well used to it. When his father died unexpectedly more than two centuries ago, he was barely ready to take the throne, but there was no other option. He had been hotheaded and quick to anger and clashed daily with the Council, and not just them. In the end, it was a daily struggle to learn to listen and to do what he knew was right instead of giving in to rash wants and impulses.

It did not escape Thor's notice that he seemed to be having trouble doing just so ever since he got married.

"Fine," Loki bit out. "But I'd ask you to remember that _I _am here, _I _am your husband, not my parents, not my mother. And I'd ask that you consider asking me before making decisions about _myself_."

And Thor was still angry and he found Loki's tone and the entire situation terribly childish, but there was also the uncomfortable truth – these thoughts had occurred to him before as well. He had promised himself he would treat Loki with consideration and he had failed to do that. It filled him with shame.

"Yes, of course," he replied as evenly as possible. "The lessons are open to you. I hope you will take them up."

Faced with agreement, Loki seemed at loss for a moment, but gathered himself shortly. "Yes, I believe I will."

It was strange. In fact, little has changed between the beginning and the end of the conversation. Loki would fill his time with lessons, as was appropriate to his age. And yet it seemed as though much was revealed.

They both ate some, but the silence was uncomfortable and Thor could barely taste what he was eating. He knew there were more things he needed to say lest he show himself completely incapable of keeping his word, even if the word was given to himself only. He waited until Loki, having long since discarded the main course, finished eating several of the cakes they had been served and then spoke.

"If you don't mind, there is another issue I feel we should speak about."

Loki regarded him warily and pushed away his napkin, standing up.

They walked onto the balcony together and were met with a sharp gust of wind; it was snowing.

"I must apologize," Thor began and Loki turned to him, his face not bearing a hostile expression anymore, but not a terribly friendly one either. "You were correct in accusing me of relying on assumptions only. I think it's time we speak freely."

"Yes?" Loki prompted. Once again, he was standing close to Thor, leaning on the railing lightly, completely mindless of the thin layer of snow that has piled up on top of it. These things should not be surprising Thor, but they were. He was not bothered by the cold very much, it could not really hurt him, but if there were a choice, he would gladly exchange it for the warmth of a hearth.

"Perhaps I am wrong and if so, I am very sorry and I hope you will not think less of me. But it is my impression that you... expected me to take you to bed. And it's prudent that you know that this was never my intention, not for a time to come."

Loki's mouth fell open and he gave Thor an incredulous look.

"And may I ask why?"

The answer _you are too young _ was on the tip of Thor's tongue. But that wasn't really it, he grew to realize.

"We do not know each other."

"So?" Loki shot back with a little snicker, face contorting in mockery. "We are married."

"Aye, and we will be so for millennia to come. That leaves us enough time."

Clearly Loki did not consider this a respectable answer.

"Is there something wrong with you? Or is there something wrong with me in your eyes?" he hissed, approaching Thor until their fronts were pressed together and he was leaning his head back considerably to keep Thor's gaze locked in his own.

Thor could hardly believe that he had gotten himself into this situation. He should have been more open from the start, instead of letting himself be held back by uncertainty and, as bad as that sounded, shame.

"Loki, please..." he sighed, catching Loki by the shoulders and trying to put some distance between them. "Of course I do not think there is something wrong with you and as far as I know, not with me either."

"So, what is it then?" Loki's voice was jumping and for one horrified second Thor thought he might cry, but thankfully the red eyes were simply piercing him with an angry glare and remained dry.

By now, Thor knew better than to mention Farbauti and besides, she wasn't even the one who made up his mind about this.

_Be honest._

"I... it never occurred to me that you'd desire it."

Loki stopped his struggling then and allowed Thor to hold him away by arm's length, even stepping further away so that Thor had to release him.

"And what of your desires? You are the king."

Hearing those words was almost heart-breaking and in the light of what Loki has just said, Thor understood Farbauti's concern even better. The pieces fell together in mind and as sad (and slightly appalled) as it made him, he felt like he finally saw through what was happening.

Admittedly, his conviction had been slipping. Loki had been chipping away at his defences, with his nakedness and the way he was always touching Thor, showing trust through the closeness. In unguarded moments, Thor thought that perhaps a kiss wouldn't hurt, after all, he wanted to share bed with Loki _some time _and what would be better than slowly working towards it? He would not be breaking his word, he would only strive to make them both happy. But that was a selfish desire, he could see that now.

_You are the king._

And to think that he almost gave in and took Loki's attempts to convince him of his want at face value. But even that wasn't so shocking, after all, he had guessed before that Loki _thought _it was real. That he had some romanticized notion of what sex was like and that he was connecting those fantasies with Thor because that's what he was told he should do.

Thor was absolutely not going to hurt him by proving him wrong, no matter how angry with Thor it would make him.

_He'll thank me when he's older._

"Loki, I am sorry, but it will not be, not for a long time."

Loki opened his mouth in outrage and slammed his open palm onto the railing, spraying snow everywhere. The weather was getting worse and Thor knew he was causing it.

"You are not answering any of my questions! You are treating me like a child though you have just promised you wouldn't!"

Even as Loki seemed to spiral into rage, Thor was finding it easy to remain calm, perhaps because he was once again perfectly sure of what he should do.

"I have told you the truth. I was not planning on consummating our marriage with haste because we are not barbarians who consider this necessary and so far, nothing has changed my mind about it."

Loki, who seemed to be all but vibrating in anger, as though he was barely controlling himself and wanted nothing more then to slap Thor upside down, suddenly stilled, mouth falling open.

He spoke very slowly, pronouncing every word carefully. "I have asked you... to take me to bed and your response is... no, because you have made up your mind and decided not to do it."

Thor just nodded, knowing there was no salvaging the situation.

"So you are _uninterested _in what I want," Loki continued, spitting with contempt.

"Which seems to be mutual," Thor answered without thinking it through and Loki's face fell blank again, which he only saw for a second as in the next moment Loki turned away from Thor. His shoulders slumped forward minutely and then his back heaved perhaps three, four times with heavy breaths before he straightened again.

"Understood," came a single word, steady, but with a nasal tone to it that left Thor almost no doubt that the tears finally came.

He didn't attempt to stop Loki as he walked away, disappearing into the rooms. Instead he looked around himself in dismay, the snow was falling so thickly now that he could see only a very short distance forward and the strong wind was scattering the snowflakes everywhere in large whirlwinds.

He had done the right thing, clearly. Kept his word. Gave Loki the explanations he was asking for.

And yet he knew it would not stop snowing for a very long time.


	5. Chapter 5

He managed to ignore Thor for whole three days.

He would leave the room if Thor walked in. He would ignore any questions and pretend he wasn't listening when Thor attempted to make explanation of his 'harsh words', as he put it.

He relived and thought through their conversation that night many, many times, each time coming out of it with the same, angry result. Thor was acting in a cruel, senseless way; perhaps he was hiding something, perhaps he was simply inclined to say and do strange things that Loki could not possibly understand. Doubts flitted through his mind constantly – what did he do wrong? What was wrong with Thor? He was not one to believe simple denials without explanations.

And so he settled on being silent and unresponsive, hoping it would help him gauge some kind of a reaction of Thor's. And for those three days, even in face of Loki's silence, Thor tried to talk to him, citing Loki's youth, the novelty of their situation, even Farbauti's words. He was asking Loki to stop and consider. To give them both time. His explanations were many and heart-felt and Loki ignored him with gusto, enjoying the bereft look upon his husband's face.

Except that after those three days, Thor ceased doing all of it.

Loki was sitting in their living chamber with the hearth fire doused and all the windows open to let the chill in and he was reading with his feet propped up when Thor walked in, looked at Loki briefly and disappeared into the bedroom.

And that was new. He sat there, stunned. Thor had always greeted him at least and it was most likely he would attempt to start a conversation. Before he could talk himself out of it, he threw the book away and dashed towards the bedroom, hoping to do or say something that would explain this odd turn of events and that would perhaps break through the unchanging, painful situation of last days – after all, he saw himself as the only one who could do so.

He was tempted to dash back out again when he threw the door open and found Thor standing there in the middle of the room, arms folded across his chest, looking straight at Loki as though he was expecting him to do just that – run after Thor.

"You've gone to great lengths to try and tell me that you were not a child, Loki," Thor spoke before Loki had a chance to react. "Are you perhaps ready to act like it?"

"Are you ready to apologize?" Loki shot back, trying his hardest to hide how flustered he was.

"For upsetting you? Yes."

That stubborn bastard. Loki took a second to breathe and he straightened up, looking Thor square in the eye. This was not exactly how he'd imagined this conversation would go, but he needed to seize the moment.

"Are you ready to _not _treat me as a child?" he pursued his goal relentlessly, ignoring everything else.

Thor didn't move since Loki came in, maintaining his posture with crossed arms, standing firmly on feet planted a bit apart. Perhaps it could even be said he looked intimidating, but Loki wasn't fooled. He recalled his fearful excitement upon seeing Thor fight in the arena on the eve of their wedding, but those feelings were all but gone. It was just as Thor said and he finally understood. That man was in the past. This Thor was not dangerous.

Loki was almost disappointed.

"Absolutely."

He blinked. Another concession?

Thor loosened his stance and approached Loki, his steps laced with an odd kind of grace. Loki almost stepped back instinctively, his previous derision forgotten for a second until he righted himself and lifted his chin. Thor stopped more than a step away from Loki though and a corner of his mouth lifted.

"Go get changed."

"Into what?" Loki asked warily, forgetting to protest such an order; that's how intrigued he was.

"Something comfortable. Practical. We're going out of the city."

And with that, Thor left the bedroom, not looking back to check if Loki would do as he was bid. He stood there, mouth gaping. So insolent. How dare he? And yet. Yet it was nothing like their previous arguments. There was something different about Thor and the way he acted. He was being almost playful. He wasn't treading as carefully as before and it was refreshing.

Too curious to resist, Loki threw open the door of his closet. Thor had been wearing dark brown leather pants and long-sleeved red tunic of dense linen with a matching leather vest thrown over it; it was very casual, though of course still flattering. Since he was constantly on the verge of feeling almost too warm ever since he arrived to Asgard, Loki followed Thor's lead only in the choice of trousers, he picked a very comfortable pair of soft leather and with it he decided for a green, sleeveless shirt which was a gift from Frigga. Mindful of the mention of going out of city, he finished the outfit with high laced boots and walked out after Thor.

Thor took him to a part of the palace he hasn't visited yet and soon they were out on the fresh air. It was very... bright that day, that was the best Loki could describe it. The air smelled clean and washed comfortably over his skin; he took it to mean that for Aesir standards it was cold. There was not a cloud to be seen on the sky and the sun paled the blue to almost white-grey. Loki did not get to enjoy the crisp smelling air for long though as a weird odour soon reached his nose.

"Where are we going?" he asked, lengthening his steps to keep up with Thor who suddenly sped up, almost bouncing on his feet.

"These are the stables," Thor replied unhelpfully, flashing a smile at Loki over his shoulder.

That explained the smell at least. They came to a small yard and there were two horses waiting, one black and one red, both saddled. A stable boy held them at their nuzzles.

"I would like us to go for a ride. It's a beautiful day," Thor explained, finally turning to Loki, beaming. Loki could just mutely stare up at him, searching for words. Behind Thor, one of the beasts snorted and stomped.

"Thor-"

"Please. I know it's not precisely what you asked of me, but... I would like us to spend time together."

Loki felt completely, utterly ridiculous. Gone was the playfulness he had noted in Thor, now he looked merely earnest and hopeful. It ruined any ideas he had about offering up a false excuse.

"I have never ridden a horse."

A shocked expression appeared on Thor's face immediately and slowly melted into one of horrified realization. Loki thought that maybe he should be mad, but he instead burst out in laughter as Thor continued to stare at him, apparently at loss for words.

"Loki, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize-"

Loki placed a hand on Thor's chest, pushing him lightly. "It's all right."

He found himself appreciating this effort. More time spent with Thor in such a manner meant more opportunities to convince Thor to... change his mind.

Because he was far from done.

Thor recovered meanwhile from his clear bout of embarrassment. "Well then, why don't I teach you how to ride?"

"It'd be my pleasure," Loki smiled, inching his way even closer to Thor and dropping his voice a little, as though he didn't want the stable boy to hear. Thor turned and nodded at the man, taking the horses from him and started leading them away.

"I may not know much about horse-riding, but I'm rather certain one does not ride in the stable!" Loki called out after Thor when he entered the building. Loki failed to fall into step with him, as Thor had a horse by every shoulder and Loki was disinclined to step directly behind the beasts' backsides.

"That's true. But these are not horses for beginners, I will put them away and pick a more suitable one. Come along!"

Keeping a respectful distance, Loki followed and saw Thor ushering each horse into a stall. In quick, smooth motions he began unsaddling them.

"Why not leave it to the stable boy?" Loki asked, even though it was certainly interesting to watch.

"I like horses," Thor shrugged. "It's good to be around them sometimes, not just ride them. It creates connection."

"Hm. Very wise. Perhaps I should keep it in mind."

Thor shot him a brief, disbelieving look and pretended not to hear the remark. Loki pursed his lips. Perhaps that was not the best of jokes.

Soon Thor was done and he beckoned Loki to walk along the many stalls to another part of the stable. All along the way the horses were sticking out their heads, sniffing with furry muzzles. Loki was uncertain whether he liked them or not; they smelled rather unpleasantly and were rather intimidating in their size, but their hide seemed to be very soft and they had lovely, curious eyes. He told himself to hold the judgement until he _sat _on one.

"There we go," Thor murmured and they approached a grey horse who immediately headbutted into Thor's chest once he got close enough and Thor responded by enthusiastic petting, stroking the horse's muzzle and patting its neck.

"Come. Meet Saett."

Filled with doubt, Loki reached out and touched the horse's nose lightly and slid lower to the soft muzzle. That was really quite lovely. Then the horse began sniffing at him noisily and he was tempted to snatch his hand but bore it until the uncertainty faded.

"See? She's friendly and calm. Let me saddle her and we can begin."

The horse stood calmly as Thor worked and Loki, even in his inexperience with these beasts, could see the difference between this one and the ones that had been readied for their ride. He supposed that Thor knew what he was doing and he relaxed, leaning against the wall and enjoying the sight of him.

"All done," Thor announced shortly after and they walked out to the yard and across it to a fenced space that was meant for training the horses. There he stopped the horse and beckoned to Loki.

"From the left side," he pointed, letting go of his hold at the horse's muzzle. "Peace, Saett, peace."

Loki was busy frowning at the animal in front of him and he didn't notice at first how close had Thor stepped, coming to stand almost behind Loki until a warm palm was placed at his left thigh. He jerked in sheer surprise, spinning around and almost falling head first into Thor's chest.

"Careful," Thor laughed, steadying Loki by the shoulders. Loki swallowed, trying to right himself. The way that laugh rumbled out of Thor's chest...

"Now," Thor continued, almost manhandling Loki so that he was facing the horse again before releasing him with one hand and putting it back onto Loki's leg. "Your left foot goes into the stir-up. Grab the saddle, put your foot in and pull yourself up. Don't forget to kick off the ground with your right leg."

Loki did as Thor described, reaching up to grab the front side of the saddle and manoeuvring his left leg until his foot was in the right position.

"Good, like that. Now, steady. Put some force behind it, so that you don't kick her rump," Thor coached and then – as though he meant to demonstrate what _rump _was - he placed his hands on _Loki's_.

Loki wished the damn animal wasn't there. Thor's palms were hot even through the leather he was wearing, gently pushing him in the right direction of the jump he was supposed to do and his mind was reeling, unsure what to focus on. There was a large, possibly unpredictable beast that he was meant to ride. He was determined to learn how, but at the same time uncertain about the process and now there was Thor, distracting him horribly. He wanted Thor's hands on him, yes, but damn, he as going to fall on his head if -

"Loki...?" Thor prompted and the warmth of his hands disappeared from Loki's skin.

"Yes, yes, I was... searching for equilibrium," he told Thor quickly and then heaved himself up to cover up his momentary fluster. And there he was, sitting astride the horse. He barely noticed how that happened.

"There you are! You will be a natural," Thor praised, ducking under the horse's neck so that he could slip to its other side and grasp Loki's right ankle and push it through the second stir-up. "The stir-up needs to be perhaps at one third the length of your foot, closer to the tip."

As Thor continued giving more and more instructions, he also continued touching Loki. His foot and ankle being manipulated into the right place. A light pat on his calf and thigh to demonstrate that that was where he was meant to put strength if he wished to remain safely seated. Thor's fingers entwined with his as he was shown how to hold the reins. Delicious pressure of Thor's hand pressing at the small of his back to make him sit up straighter.

It was a wonder he learned anything.

But he did, putting a lid on his excitement, promising himself to relive every second of touch later (and there was more that occurred to him. Perhaps Thor would not stop after they were done with the lesson... perhaps they would return to their chambers together and he would feel the heat of Thor's skin on his own again...). He managed to lead the horse along the fence and then make turns and ride in various shapes as Thor described, learning how to make the horse respond to what he wanted of it.

It was... fun. His horse was obedient, but he could still feel that it was a living, thinking animal underneath him; constantly vibrating with the potential of doing something unpredictable – spook and flee, throw him off... His world narrowed to the feeling on the horse between his legs, the careful hold he had on the reins as he used it to communicate gently with the animal and Thor's voice leading him through it.

"Would you care to try trotting?" Thor asked with a teasing edge to his tone after Loki somewhat mastered the horse.

"That's a funny word for running, yes?" Loki smirked right back.

"One of the two, perhaps three gaits that horses use."

Loki was about to agree – he was sure he could handle it – but an idea stopped him.

"Not today," he replied. "But some other time maybe? Soon?"

Thor inclined his head, still smiling. Loki had noticed that it was not terribly hard to bring a smile to Thor's face if one wished it.

"I'll be happy to teach you everything. After all, you promised to go for a ride with me."

"And so I shall, when I'm sure this-" he patted the horse's neck approvingly, "-beast won't run off with me."

"Then it is settled."

Dismounting Saett was another experience to remember, not just because of the novelty of it, but also because Thor stood close, waiting to steady Loki. Loki did not stumble on purpose, of course not, but as his feet touched the ground, his knees almost gave out and he felt a previously unknown strain in the muscles of his entire legs. And so once again he fell right into Thor's chest. So no, he did not stumble on purpose, but during his next lesson, he just might.

On the way back to their chambers Thor entertained Loki with tales of his own first experiences with horses from when he was a boy, considerably younger than Loki and also quite more reckless. Loki was bent over laughing as Thor described in vivid detail the way he hung by the side of the saddle as his first horse tore through the streets of Asgard in break-neck speed, narrowly missing all of the many obstacles in their way.

"Well," he said once he was able to speak without snickering. "I'm sure you are more skilled these days."

"Oh, I believe I was very skilled even back then. I did not fall, did I?" Thor retorted with a cocky smile and Loki's mouth dried out at the sight of that grin and a new pang of desire ran through him. This man was... so frustrating at times, but so irresistible at many others. And not just physically, Loki mused, with his behaviour as well. Just this morning, Loki had been still deeply mad and yet somewhat he had been whisked away for an afternoon of unparalleled fun, unable to not enjoy himself even if he tried. And Thor had planned it just for him – oh, it was no matter that they didn't quite go for the ride that Thor had in mind, it was the thought that counted and the grace with which Thor changed the plans when he realized his small error. In a brief moment of cynical introspection, Loki realized that it had been perhaps the first time in his life that he reacted calmly to being forced to face his own lack of skill.

Thor did indeed continue to fascinate Loki.

As they entered their chambers, Loki realized with slight dismay that the stench of horse was still clinging to him. He was already on his way to liking the previously unknown animal, but the stink was quite annoying.

"I need to bathe," he announced carelessly and then steeled himself, trying to keep his tone of voice even. "Care to join me?"

He didn't realize how expectant of rejection he was until he was faced with agreement.

"If you wish," Thor said very quietly and his gaze bore into Loki with some unidentifiable emotion behind it.

"Yes," Loki replied firmly, ignoring the jitters. "Yes, I wish it."

He has glimpsed Thor naked before and he had no qualms about showing his own bare skin, but still it was novel to be standing there in the well lit bathroom and get undressed in such close proximity. Loki opted to pretend to ignore Thor for the time being, reaching to turn on the facet and start filling the large, sink in tub. He picked one of the many oils that were placed close by and poured it generously in. His mother used to have a selection of oils and fragrances too which she closely guarded and rarely let Loki sample. As he grew older, he began to realize why that was. Now with the Casket in his family's possession, travel would be possible and trade and wealth would come to Jotunheim again. Still, all the flasks and flagons presented so matter-of-factly for his use often captured his attention and he was pressed to try and enjoy them all, though he certainly meant to keep his excitement private.

He hardly had to pretend to not pay attention to what he was pouring into the water today though; Thor had finished undressing and was standing naked by the tub, pulling his hair up in a small knot at the top of his head. Swallowing, Loki slipped into the water.

It could be said he was enjoying the view, though what he was feeling was by no means as simple as _enjoyment_. His gaze travelled up the length of Thor's bare body; he was thickly muscled, but so tall that he retained a sense of elegance rather than shapeless bulk. His legs were long and perfectly shaped, from defined calves covered in light blonde hair up to very strong thighs. His cock seemed large even in its calm state, hanging by a symmetrical pair of balls. To Loki, Thor's scrotum looked very unlike his own, it hung much lower and took up more space; he had a feeling that was a difference shared by the whole race. Thor's stomach was impossibly defined, with deep dimples by his hipbones, turning into neat hills of muscle. And that was where Thor turned broad – his chest and shoulders were positively bulging, as were his arms.

Just as Loki started to think that perhaps Thor was lingering on purpose, to show off (oh and how that thought pleased Loki) he stepped into the water, grimacing.

"Oh," Loki breathed. "It's cold for you."

To his own skin, the water was almost scalding, though pleasantly so – he wanted to soothe his aching muscles.

"It is, but it's hardly unbearable. I have swam in waters much colder, though usually that was a lake or a river. I like my bathtubs hot."

Despite his words, Thor submerged fully and stretched on his back with his head and spread arms resting on the edge of the tub.

Loki did not reply, he didn't have the words really, thinking about Thor's willingness to be here with him. Thor meanwhile apparently did some thinking of his own.

"This water," he ran a finger across the surface as if to demonstrate, "feels hot to you then?"

"Yes, it does."

"And the weather outside? Today for example?"

"Today was very pleasant, unlike some of the previous days," Loki replied honestly, curious about Thor's line of questioning... He did worry about the climate as well after all.

Thor stared at the surface for a while, drawing nonsense shape with his finger dragged through the water. Then he looked up, smiling softly at Loki.

"We shall talk to my mother or some of your seidr tutors. Spring will come soon and I fear the temperature would become unbearable for you."

"It occurred to me as well. I noticed however some interesting... differences between the sensation I feel in this realm."

Loki bit his lip, trying to stifle a laugh. Thor beckoned for him to continue, a concerned frown on his face.

"See," Loki continued, kicking off the side of the tub and floating towards towards Thor. "The _air _is often uncomfortable. It's so... hot and moist. Makes it hard to breathe. But other... _surfaces, _though understandably just as hot, perhaps hotter, feel pleasant to the touch."

He let the water slowly deposit him by Thor's side as the momentum of his swim lap disappeared. Thor didn't move, letting his arms rest spread as before, he simply inclined his head to the side to watch Loki closely. Loki sat close to Thor, but not too close, just letting their sides brush lightly from time to time in rhythm with the subtle ripples of the water.

"_You_, for example," Loki whispered, placing his open palm at Thor's chest, just above the waterline. "feel just right."

He got no reaction from Thor other than a steady look trained at his face. Seeing it as a challenge, he slid his palm up and down Thor's chest, very pleased with the feeling of the rise and fall of it as Thor breathed. He made sure a thumb brushed over a nipple, but only a slightly hitched breath (if he didn't imagine it, that is) was his reply.

Everything that Thor has said or done before has led Loki to believe that either he would be stopped, and what more, that he would be stopped with a lecture or that he would be allowed to continue with an admission of Thor's mistaken thinking. Nothing happened though, Thor did not move nor say anything to to encourage or discourage Loki.

Curious where this would lead, Loki pressed himself even closer to Thor and leaned over to brush his lips over Thor's cheeks, the whiskers of his beard tingling Loki's skin. Loki smiled smugly when Thor didn't move away, but any ideas he had about making a remark about it disappeared into thin air when one of Thor's arms slid down from the tub's edge and he wrapped it around Loki's waist, placing his hand just low enough on Loki's body to make Loki's insides twitch in unknown emotion. Thor's embrace was gentle and yet it felt almost restraining. Almost.

It was not unpleasant. It wasn't and yet Loki felt wary. What now? What did it mean?

He looked up at Thor, eyes narrowed in suspicion but Thor seemed perfectly relaxed, leaning back with his eyes closed.

"Thor," Loki started, though he didn't know how to continue.

"Mhmm?" The murmur was Thor's only reply and he didn't move nor open his eyes, though his thumb began brushing lightly over Loki's skin underneath the water's surface, just above Loki's hipbone.

"You are acting differently," Loki accused.

"Does it please you?"

Loki had to blink and clear his throat lightly before he could even think of responding; Thor spoke in such a low voice, it almost felt like a sensual whisper... and the way he said _please you_... to his chagrin, Loki felt his cock stiffening slightly.

"And what if I say yes?"

"Then I might admit I was acting like a fool. In some things, anyway."

Loki's breath hitched. _Yes. _Now if he could just convince Thor further...

Before he could speak, Thor raised his head from the edge and opened his eyes, looking at Loki with such a burning intensity in his eyes that Loki froze, transfixed.

"I want you to be happy, Loki. I truly do," Thor whispered, in that beautiful gravely tone that Loki already grew to love so much. Then he leaned forward and kissed the corner of Loki's mouth. Loki's heart was pounding in expectation, but Thor drew back, locking his gaze with Loki's again.

"Let me try and make you happy, please."

Fighting against the torrent of sensations he was feeling – Thor's arm around him, the lingering feeling of his kiss, the most intimate one they have shared so far – Loki slowly surfaced and came to his senses, trying to understand what Thor was trying to say. Thor waited patiently, calmly looking at Loki. His face was framed by messy strands of hair that escaped the bun he had piled on top of his head and he was... mesmerizing almost and his gaze was becoming unbearable. Honest and levelled and yet – or maybe precisely because of it – it made Loki want to squirm.

"In your own way, you mean. Not mine."

Oh, he was ready to argue again. Press his point over and over again and if that didn't work, he could straddle Thor, press his cock (which was still half-hard) to Thor's stomach and just make him understand finally -

"Don't you trust me?" Thor asked huskily, his lips slowly curving into an impossible, ridiculous smug smile. His eyebrows rose slightly and he was radiating cockiness and – damn everything – such seductiveness that Loki was speechless once again. "Did you not enjoy yourself today? Let me show you more. Everything in this realm, and more, is open to us."

"You know, I will hold you to that," he replied equally quietly, not trusting himself to speak out loud. "There is a lot I will demand."

"I'm counting on it."

"And at the end of it?"

"There will not be an end to it, not until I am an old, withered man. But yes. Some time."

The conversation was made of shared breaths and whispers, the words flowing between them in quick tension but when it was done, it seemed like any distance or caution was not needed anymore. Thor held Loki at his side and Loki placed his head on Thor's shoulder and they stayed like that until Thor admitted that the water was too uncomfortable for him and they slipped out, just in time to call for dinner.

"Now," Thor smiled, pulling a tunic over his head an emerging with hair sticking out in all directions. "Have you ever tasted elven wine?"

"I have not," Loki grinned, folding his arms over his chest. "Would you care to help me remedy that?"

"With pleasure."


End file.
